SKYFALL Earns Top Honors from Cinematographers

LOS ANGELES – Roger Deakins, ASC, BSC; Balazs Bolygo, HSC; Kramer Morgenthau, ASC; Florian Hoffmeister; and Bradford Lipson claimed top honors in the four competitive categories at the 27th Annual American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) Awards for Outstanding Achievement, which was held here tonight at the Grand Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland.

Deakins won the ASC Award in the feature film competition for SKYFALL. Bolygo and Morgenthau tied in the one-hour television episodic category for Cinemax’s HUNTED and HBO’s GAME OF THRONES, respectively. Hoffmeister won the TV movie/miniseries award for PBS’ GREAT EXPECTATIONS, and Lipson was the recipient of the half-hour television episodic category for FX’s WILFRED.

The ASC Award for best feature was presented by Emmy®-nominated actor John Slattery. Deakins, who was regrettably not able to attend, has previously won ASC Awards for THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION (1995) and THE MAN WHO WASN’T THERE (2002). His other ASC nominations include FARGO (1997), KUNDUN (1998), O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU? (2001), NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (2008), THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD (2008), REVOLUTIONARY ROAD (2009), THE READER (2009), and TRUE GRIT (2011). He also received the organization’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011.

Actor David Zayas, also known as Sgt. Batista on DEXTER, announced Bolygo and Morgenthau had tied for the Outstanding Achievement Award in the one-hour television category. This is the first tie in ASC Awards history.

Bolygo, a first-time ASC nominee, won for the “Mort” episode of HUNTED. This is the first win for Morgenthau, who has been previously nominated for THE FIVE PEOPLE YOU MEET IN HEAVEN (2005), LIFE ON MARS (2009) and BOARDWALK EMPIRE (2011). Tonight’s award is for the GAME OF THRONES episode “The North Remembers.”

The other nominees in the one-hour television episodic series category were Christopher Manley, ASC for AMC’s MAD MEN (“The Phantom”), David Moxness, CSC for FOX’s FRINGE (“Letters of Transit”), Mike Spragg for Cinemax’s STRIKE BACK (Episode 11) and David Stockton, ASC for FOX’s ALCATRAZ (Pilot).

Oscar®-nominee Mary McDonnell presented the Television Movie/Miniseries Award to first-time ASC nominee Hoffmeister for the PBS Masterpiece presentation of GREAT EXPECTATIONS.

TWO BROKE GIRLS’ Matthew Moy presented the half-hour television category award to Lipson, who was a first-time ASC nominee for the “Truth” episode of WILFRED.

Nominated alongside Lipson were Ken Glassing for FOX’s BEN AND KATE (“Guitar Face”), Goi for NBC’s THE NEW NORMAL (“Pilot”), Peter Levy, ASC for Showtime’s HOUSE OF LIES (“Gods of Dangerous Financial Instruments”), and Michael Price for ABC’s HAPPY ENDINGS (“Four Weddings and a Funeral (Minus Three Weddings and One Funeral)”).

Oscar®-winner Angelina Jolie presented the ASC Lifetime Achievement Award to Dean Semler, ASC, ACS who earned an Oscar® and an ASC Award for Kevin Costner’s DANCES WITH WOLVES (1991). In 2007, his work on Mel Gibson’s APOCALYPTO earned him a second ASC Award nomination. Semler’s nearly 70 feature credits include such memorable films as CITY SLICKERS, LAST ACTION HERO, WATERWORLD, THE BONE COLLECTOR, WE WERE SOLDIERS, XXX, BRUCE ALMIGHTY, THE ALAMO, GET SMART, 2012, DATE NIGHT, SECRETARIAT, Jolie’s directorial debut IN THE LAND OF BLOOD AND HONEY, PARENTAL GUIDANCE, and the upcoming MALEFICENT.

The ASC International Award was presented to Robby Müller, NSC, BVK by director Steve McQueen and actress Nastassja Kinski who worked with him on the film PARIS, TEXAS. Kinski noted, “Seeing Robby work on that film made me want to know all about the camera – how it catches light, images, and feelings. How it serves as the window to each film.” Müller was unable to attend the event, and McQueen and Kinski accepted the award on his behalf.

The Career Achievement in Television Award was presented to Rodney Charters, ASC, CSC (24) by Sir Robert Harvey, mayor of Waitakere City in New Zealand.

The ASC Presidents Award was given to Curtis Clark, ASC (THE DRAUGHTSMAN’S CONTRACT) by Stephen Burum, ASC.

Last year, Emmanuel Lubezki, ASC, AMC won the ASC feature award for THE TREE OF LIFE.

The American Society of Cinematographers was chartered in January 1919. There are more than 300 active members of ASC, and 150-plus associate members from sectors of the industry that support the art and craft of filmmaking. Membership and associate membership is by invitation based on contributions that individuals have made to advance the art of visual storytelling.

“Tarkovsky was sitting in the corner of the screening room watching the film with me, but he got up as soon as the film was over and looked at me with a shy smile. I said to him, ‘It’s very good. It’s a frightening movie.’ He seemed embarrassed but smiled happily. Then the two of us went to a film union restaurant and toasted with vodka. Tarkovsky, who does not usually drink, got completely drunk and cut off the speakers at the restaurant, then began singing the theme of Seven Samurai at the top of his voice. I joined in, eager to keep up. At that moment, I was very happy to be on Earth.”
~ Akira Kurosawa On Watching Solaris With Andrei Tarkovsky

“Women’s power is too potent to waste on selfies… Truly dangerous women aren’t looking for dates or husbands, and they do not travel in packs. They rarely have many female friends. Their register is either universal, or intensely personal. They play mind games and make promises. Whether they deliver or not remains a secret, and secrets are essential to seduction. The Web has eroded every notion of privacy and stolen the real power of women: the threat of mystery itself. “I can see you’re trouble” was once the biggest compliment a man could pay a woman. There was going to be a dark spiral into the whirlpool of sex; there were going to be tears on both sides, secrets and regrets, scandal. Today, everyone is trouble.”
~ Joan Juliet Buck in “W”